Passion's Illusion
by Fallen Warrior Angel
Summary: She was the one person that captivated him, but was all of it just as her name described? Adrian V./Ozymandias X OC
1. Chapter 1

**AN: This is my first _Watchmen_ fanfic. I do not own the characters, however I own my own created cast. Please enjoy!**

The city was dark, the night sky so clear it looked almost artificial. From their post on one of the many rooftops above New York, he could see the many civilians bustling about the streets, their voices echoing against the stone buildings. Adrian Veidt stood, leaning against an air conditioning pipe, his velvet cape billowing in the air, his eyes scanning for trouble below.

"You're late," he mused, hearing a set of soft, clicking footsteps approaching him.

"I ran into an attempted rape on 21st. Sorry to keep you waiting."

Adrian chuckled, keeping his mask-covered eyes downward, pretending not to acknowledge the beautiful specimen that had just arrived, "Tsk, tsk, tsk, Mirage I thought Nite Owl wanted us to work together?"

A midnight blue-clad hand pressed against his armored chest, forcing Caribbean blue to meet with sapphire as he brought his eyes to hers, "If you'd waited for me at the meeting until I was finished talking to Jon, Ozzy, then you would have been there, wouldn't you?"

Adrian, or Ozymandias as he preferred being called whilst under the mask, stared at his female partner, a smirk crossing his lips, "My apologies for leaving you unprotected."

Mirage glared at him, but was unable to retort before they heard a curdling scream come from several blocks ahead of them, the two masked vigilantes taking off over the rooftops in pursuit.

Ozymandias looked to his left, watching the young woman leap gracefully over the gaps between buildings, almost like a gazelle in his eyes. She was perfect in every sense of the word, and he knew that it was impossible for her to understand what he felt for her. There was a reason that he'd wanted her as his partner, a reason that even he couldn't explain at the time, but as the nights had gone by he understood, and figured out quite clearly that he was in love with her.

They stopped at the edge of one roof, seeing the source of the screams below: a young woman and her child being mugged by four Knot Tops. Mirage growled angrily, dropping down to the alley with limbic finesse, landing atop one of the burly men's shoulders, crumpling him to the ground. She watched Ozymandias land out of the corner of her eye, two of the criminals honing in on him instantly. The young woman had little time to observe, for the fourth Knot Top descended on her. Quickly she dropped to the wet concrete, bringing her leg up over her head to kick him in the neck, causing him to gasp for air. With a swift flip, she landed a punch to his stomach, then another to the back of his neck, knocking him to the ground. It was then that she turned to see Ozzy bash his head against the last standing Knot Top, sending him flying into the wall, her eyes watching as he slid to the ground.

Ozymandias turned to her, the two of them heaving breaths, "Are you alright?"

She chuckled, "Unprotected my ass," she took the few steps toward him, taking note of the few strands of gold hair hanging in his face, bringing her blue-gloved hand up to push them back behind his ear, "there, perfect as always."

He smirked, seeing a smudge of soot on her cheek, reaching his hand out to wipe it away, "Perfection."

She smiled, then turned to the woman standing with her child, an awe-struck girl about the age of six. Mirage was suddenly reminded of herself at that age, golden curls flying around her tiny head, a pair of deep blue eyes staring up at her.

Mirage listened to the mother than Ozymandias for saving them, but she was crouched down on her silver heels, a kind smile on her face, "Are you alright _bambina_?"

The girl nodded, "You're very pretty."

Mirage chuckled, "Thank you sweetie. As are you." She watched as the girl's tiny hand reached up to the left side of her face, knowing what she was mesmerized by, "You like it?" she felt the child's tiny fingers trace the swirls that lined the side of her face and neck.

"What is it?" the girl asked.

"It's a birthmark," Mirage smiled, tucking a flyaway curl behind the child's ear, "keep your mamma safe, okay?"

She nodded quickly, "Yes I will."

"Good," she stood, feeling Ozzy's hand on her shoulder, signaling for them to depart, and with one last smile at the girl, she disappeared with her partner into the shadows.

* * *

><p>Adrian stepped into his large apartment, Mirage close behind. It was traditional for the two of them to return to either of their places, usually his, to share a glass of something strong and chat. He sighed, walking into his bedroom and shutting the door, quickly taking off his mask, gloves, and cape, replacing them in their rightful spot in his closet, tucked away in the back. Turning to his armoire, he picked up a bottle of cologne and spraying the sides of his neck before sliding his fingers through his hair, gazing at his reflection. Tonight he would tell her, he'd decided when he watched her interaction with the girl in the alley. This was the one woman that had finally stolen his heart, and it was time that he confessed.<p>

Mirage had removed her gloves and mask, revealing a pair of slender, tanned hands and deep, sapphire eyes. The light skin of her swirled birthmark trailed from her left temple, down her cheek, neck, and collarbone, before disappearing over the curve of her breast and into her costume.

She loved coming back to Adrian's home after their excursions. The time they'd spent together over the past year had allowed her to open up to him, and vice versa. She remembered the first time she'd met all of the Watchmen, the day she'd joined them. Mirage gazed at the picture they'd taken that day: Silk Spectre, Dr. Manhattan, Rorschach, The Comedian, Nite Owl, herself, and Adrian, all lined up. She noticed Adrian's hand on the curve of her hip, her own arm slung over Nite Owl's shoulder, everything that had happened that night flooding through her head. Adrian was emerging from his room, still in his costume save for what he'd removed, his eyes finding her over by his mantle of photographs, noting her gaze fixated on their group photo; he remembered that night clearly, it had been the night Mirage had walked into his life, and changed everything.

_One Year Earlier_

_The first meeting of the Watchmen; Adrian, Rorschach, The Comedian, Laurie, and Jon were already there, awaiting the arrival Dan and their newest member._

_"Dan's late," Rorschach grumbled._

_"He has to come all the way from Little Italy with the new kid," Eddie's muffled voice boomed behind his chewed cigar, taking a swig from his flask._

_Adrian sighed, fixing the diadem around his flawless hair, "Shouldn't be long now."_

_Jon nodded, "They just entered the building."_

_Just as Jon had spoken, the door opened to reveal Nite Owl, with a young woman in tow. "Sorry guys, quite a trip. This is Giada Montecelli, her mask name is Mirage."_

_Adrian's eyes fell on the woman before them, and he caught his breath: she was absolutely beautiful. Clad in a figure-hugging costume made of the same material as his own, colored mainly in midnight blue, her forearm guards muted silver. Her chest was framed beautifully by the armored bodysuit, her legs covered slightly by the short-like bottoms, were tone, slender, and tanned naturally. Her mask was a lighter shade of blue, hiding a set of sapphire eyes, and her hair was thick, radiant, gold curls that fell to the middle of her back. But the most eye-catching feature of all, were the light-skinned spirals and swirls that ran from her left temple, down her face, neck, and collar bone before disappearing beneath her bust line, reappearing along the visible part of her leg, stopping at her muted silver boots, the heel a reasonable height for fighting and running._

_"It's a pleasure to meet you all," she smiled, a hint of an Italian accent hidden behind her words._

_Adrian smirked, _hiding same as me_, he thought, "Welcome Mirage."_

_The Comedian's eyes raked her over like a new toy, "Nice tat sweet cheeks."_

_Her gaze turned to him, "It's a birthmark, but thank you all the same."_

_Dan smirked, "Mirage, this is Eddie Blake, more commonly known as The Comedian."_

_She walked over and shook his hand, ignoring the perverted smirk on his face that made Adrian clench his fists in anger, "Pleasure."_

_"Pleasure's all mine babe," he purred._

_Mirage snatched her hand away, turning to Dan._

_"This is Rorschach," he gestured to the smaller man adorned in the trench coat and moving mask._

_The young woman extended her hand, which to everyone's surprise, Rorschach accepted almost happily._

_"This is Dr. Manhattan, also known as Jon Osterman, and Laurie Juspezyck, Silk Spectre."_

_The two shook her hand, and it was then that she turned to face Adrian, and her entire composure changed. She almost looked timid, her eyes glimmering behind her mask. Slowly she approached him, a smile on her face._

_Dan smirked, "And last but not least, Adrian Veidt, otherwise known as-"_

_"Ozymandias," she finished, extending her hand out to him, which Adrian took and brought to his lips, placing a kiss atop her glove, "The pleasure is most certainly mine."_

_Unlike ignoring the comment like she had with The Comedian, Mirage smirked, "Are you sure about that?"_

_Ozymandias grinned, Positive."_

_Dan chuckled, "Alright you two enough, we have to sort all of this out before photo shoot hour. Rorschach and I have found that working in teams has worked to our benefit. So, for patrols we're going to split into two teams of two, and one team of three. Rorschach and I will stick together. Jon?"_

_The blue male nodded, "I will work with Laurie."_

_Dan turned, "And Mirage?"_

_The young woman looked from The Comedian to Ozymandias, "Doesn't matter to me."_

_Eddie strode forward, taking her by the waist and pulling him to her, "Stick with me babe, I'll keep you safe."_

_Faster than anyone could imagine, she landed an elbow to his gut, her knuckles flying up to hit his nose, before grabbing the arm that had been around her waist and twisting it until she had him in a secure lock, "And just for that comment, you can be a part of the group of three. Or I will," she growled, throwing him into his chair._

_"Mirage will work with me, Dan why don't you and Rorschach take The Comedian?" Adrian spoke up, keeping his gaze fixed on Mirage._

_The blonde female nodded, "Fine by me," she glared at The Comedian, "_bastardo_," her Italian accent rang out for everyone to hear, and everyone was amazed._

_"The photographer's here!" Laurie smiled, hooking her arm through Mirage's, "Stand by me."_

_Mirage smiled, "Alright."_

_"Actually Miss Spectre if you could stand here next to Dr. Manhattan, Rorschach next to him. And Mr. Comedian sir stand next to him, Mr. Owl right where you are. And blondie next to him, arm on his shoulder."_

_"Mirage," Adrian corrected, already knowing he was to stand on her opposite side, placing a gentle hand on her hip._

_The photographer nodded, "Mirage, right, right. And Mr. Ozymandias where you are," his eyes found the vigilante's hand on the young woman's waist and smirked, "nice touch. Now everyone on the count of three. One, two, three!"_

_The flash made dots appear in front of her eyes, but she smiled, hugging Laurie and Dan as they both stated they were leaving. Rorschach shook her hand once more, giving her a grumbled goodbye, and The Comedian gave her a wink. Jon shook her hand before teleporting away, leaving only her and Adrian._

_He placed a hand on her shoulder, "Do you need an escort back home?"_

_Mirage smiled, "That would be nice. Thank you."_

_He nodded, holding out his arm for her to interlock with, which she did willingly, the two masks exiting the building, beginning the long trek to Little Italy._

It had been during that walk that she had disclosed to him how she knew who he was; he'd saved her younger brother from being beaten by two mobsters he owed money. He'd also learned of her family's involvement with the mob, how her father was a retired boss, her older brother was in prison doing time for an illegal booze transition, her younger brother on the way to a massive gambling debt, leaving her and her poor, adoring mother to suffer all the abuse.

Adrian had sympathized with her, telling her that if there was anything she needed, he'd be more than willing to assist her. She'd declined respectfully, but without her knowledge he'd paid off her brother's gambling debt, something she hadn't found out till quite recently. He smiled as he watched her now, taking a seat at the island in his kitchen, resting her head in her hands, her gold curls falling over her shoulders.

Adrian walked up behind her, placing a hand on her back, "What'll it be darling?"

Giada sighed, "Anything strong."

He chuckled, "A nice, stiff whiskey on the rocks it is then," he walked over to his liquor cabinet, taking out an obviously expensive bottle and two crystal rocks glasses before turning to his freezer, taking out a tray of ice, "how many cubes?"

"Three's good," she smiled, watching him move about his kitchen comfortably. From the first moment she'd met him she'd felt different; almost like an invisible pull toward him. Of course he was the amazing Ozymandias, he could have any girl in New York City, and they would be glad to have him all the same. Yet there was something about him that made her want to be _that_ one girl. She wanted to tell him so badly how much she wanted to be with him, but of course, she was subject to her father's past and what he needed to do to keep his family alive. In the morning, she was to meet her intended fiance, Tony Granzzana, and all hopes of a relationship with Adrian would be lost. The thought sent a pang of guilt into the depths of her stomach, she'd be a masked vigilante married to the son of one of the biggest Italian mafia bosses in all of the United States, and she'd always be secretly in love with her partner.

"Here you go," he handed her the chilling glass of whiskey, "cheers."

Giada smirked, tapping her glass to his, "_Saloud_."

Adrian watched over the rim of his glass as she took a long sip, closing her eyes as the liquor slid down her throat, "So I've been meaning to ask you," he began, putting his glass down, "when you first met me, what did you think?"

The young woman met his gaze, "When? At the meeting or when you saved my brother?"

He smirked, leaning against the counter, his costume flexing in the moonlight, "When I saved your brother...and the meeting."

Giada chuckled, rotating her glass in her hand, watching the light bounce off of the crystal in many colors, "When I stood there, watching you beat up the two thugs Rosario had sent for Michael, I was in awe of you. This, beautiful specimen of amazing physical nature had just saved my brother from certain mutilation and possible death."

Adrian smiled, "And the meeting?"

"At the meeting I...I thought you were the most amazing man I had ever seen in my life," she blushed, looking him in the eye whereas other women would've looked away, something Adrian admired her for.

He felt his heart swell with joy as he rounded the counter, "Did you now?"

She nodded softly, "I sound like a giddy schoolgirl. What about you, what did you think of me?"

Adrian turned the stool that she was sitting in so that she was looking straight at him, taking her face in his hands and gazing deeply into her mesmerizing, blue eyes, "I thought you were the most incredibly beautiful, captivating woman I'd ever met," he breathed, bringing his lips down on hers, kissing her passionately. And Giada kissed back, finally receiving what she'd wanted for so long, but it was then that realization hit her: they couldn't be together.

"Mm-Adrian...no," she pushed against his chest, pulling away from him, "I can't. We can't."

His piercing blue eyes started at her, "Why ever not? I love you and it's obvious that you feel the same way for me."

Giada now felt incredibly guilty, "Adrian...I'm promised to someone."

**AN: Here's the first chapter! Review and let me know how I've done so far! :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: I know I'm hitting you with a double whammy but I have this section on my iPhone and I needed to get it on here before I forgot about it. Again I do not own the _Watchmen_ but I do own my created cast. Enjoy!**

_"Adrian...I'm promised to someone."_

Those words sent Adrian's mind into a complete downward spiral, for being the smartest man in the world he would have never thought this to be possible, and the expression on his face seemed almost to mock her, "You-You can't be serious can you?"

She stood, walking over to the window, gazing out at the streets below, "It's an old, stupid Italian tradition, an arranged marriage of sorts. I'm supposed to marry the son of a man that my father owes a debt to."

Adrian scoffed, "Old? It's practically medieval, Giada! Your father is selling you to a man just to save his own neck!"

"To save my family, Adrian! she shouted back, "this situation goes far beyond anything the Watchmen could help with! It's the only thing I can do!"

He growled, throwing his glass across the room, running his fingers angrily through his hair as it shattered, staining the white wall amber, "So what now? I'm supposed to just accept that you're marrying a man that you do not love whilst you and I walk around with feelings that we have professed, _and_ acknowledged mind you, but cannot show! Is that what you're asking me to do?"

Giada felt tears roll down her cheeks; he was frightening her, and breaking her heart word after word, she'd never seen him so angry, "Yes," she whispered, swallowing back a sob, "that's exactly what I'm asking."

Adrian strode forward, his face inches from hers, "Well don't expect me to act happy about it," he turned his back to her, leaning against the island, "leave."

The order to leave his apartment shocked her, and she was quite taken aback by it, "Adrian I-"

"LEAVE!" he shouted, slamming his fist against the counter, cracking the flawless marble.

Giada's entire body shook with fear and sorrow as she nodded mindlessly, "Very well, I'll go. The next meeting we have I'll ask The Comedian if he wants to trade patrols with me, so you don't have to be tortured by my presence. Goodnight Adrian," she turned on her heel, rushing out of his apartment, the door crashing shut behind her before she burst into tears.

Adrian could hear her crying as she ran down the hallway, looking down to see that she'd left her mask and gloves. He sighed, reaching out to brush his fingertips against the blue accessory; many emotions pierced his heart, jealousy, anger, sadness, heartbreak, but none more so than shame. He'd hurt her more than she'd hurt him, and it was something that he'd have to face for a long time.

* * *

><p>Giada arrived home at her family's townhouse in the upper side of Little Italy, the restaurant and bar below bustling with customers, most of which were mobsters. Her eyes were puffy and red from crying, and it wasn't until then that she'd noticed that she had left her gloves and mask at Adrian's apartment. <em>He better bring them to tomorrow's <em>_meeting_, she growled inwardly. That bastard, how dare he act like that toward her? She loved him, but what other choice did she have but to marry Tony? She sighed, taking off her costume and hanging it in the back of her closet, putting on her favorite pair of slacks and a white blouse before sitting down at her armoire, dabbing on some makeup to cover her reddened eyes, sliding on a coat of ruby red lipstick, and pinning her thick curls behind her head with a clip.

This was something she was used to, tending to her family during the day, playing masked vigilante at night, and turning her "playgirl" facade even later at night just to keep her father happy. Putting on a pair of slingback heels, she walked out of her bedroom and down the hall, taking note of her mother sitting at the kitchen table, peeling fennel.

"_Mamma_?" Giada questioned, walking into the kitchen and sitting down beside her.

Giada's mother was in her late forties, her dark brown hair pulled back into a bun, graying slightly at the roots. Her sunken green eyes had seen more than most would care to, but it had been the life she'd chosen. She looked up and smiled, placing a hand on her daughter's, "_Mia cara figlia_, why are you crying?" her thick, Italian accent was comforting to the blonde, but it did not stop tears from rushing forth.

"I don't want to marry Tony, I can't! I don't love him!" she choked, gripping her mother's hand tightly, "Don't make me do it _mamma_ please! Please don't make me!"

Her mother placed her free hand on the crown of her daughter's head, which was resting on the edge of the table, "Ssh, _tesoro_, ssh. It is not about love, it is about your family, and what you must do to keep them safe."

She sniffled, taking the corner of her mother's kitchen towel to dab her eyes, "I want to keep you all safe, _mamma_, I really do, but I can't, not if I marry that man. I love someone else!"

At the statement her mother seemed surprised, "Who is he _cara_?"

"A-Adrian Veidt," she hiccuped, taking a piece of fennel from the cutting board and eating it slowly, the strong, licorice taste soothing her twisting stomach.

"Your gentleman friend with the blonde hair?" the older woman questioned; Giada's mother, father, and brother had all met the Watchmen out of costume, they'd been invited to family dinners more than once.

Giada nodded, "Yes _mamma_, him."

A soft, aged hand cupped her daughter's cheek, "And does he love you, _mia figlia_?"

"Yes he does! He does _mamma_ and I told him tonight why we couldn't be together...and he-he hates me!" she sobbed once more, "He hates me, _mamma_."

Her mother was sympathetic to the situation, having married her father when she was in love with another man, a man who's son her daughter was now to wed, "You must remember that what you are doing is strictly for the safety of your family. Tony will never be around, you will be free to love whom you wish."

Giada sighed, "I can promise you that Adrian won't even want to talk to me after this!"

"Calm yourself, _figlia_, you must relax and go downstairs. Your father will be wondering where you are," the older woman turned back to peeling and chopping the aromatic vegetables before her, leaving her daughter to compose herself quickly before pressing a kiss to her mother's forehead.

"I love you, _mamma_," she whispered, then left the kitchen and climbed down the small flight of stairs to the private entrance of the restaurant, the sound of upbeat jazz and the smell of smoke surrounding her. This was the life she'd grown up around, it was the life that at night, she hid from behind her vigilante persona, it was the life that she hated with a burning passion. She could see her father at his usual table in the far corner, sitting with her soon-to-be father-in-law, the two of them guffawing and smoking cigars, two glasses of expensive red wine on the table. There was a third man sitting with them, a younger man, with slicked-back black hair, tan skin, and bright green eyes. His face was hard and emotionless, and Giada knew right away that he was to be her future, her doom, her husband.

"Giada! Come here_la mia bella figlia_!" her father shouted, motioning for her to come to the table. Giada knew she was dressed far classier than the rest of the women in the restaurant, throwing themselves at every man in sight with a heavy wallet, but she was surprised to see that Tony took quite and interest in her appearance.

"_Papa_," she smiled, kissing his cheek, "sorry I'm late, I had something to take care of."

He shook his head, "Fine, fine, fine! You remember of course Don Ricardo Granzzana," he gestured to the elderly man beside him, who kissed Giada's cheeks in greeting, "and your soon fiance, Tony Granzzana."

She turned, coming eye to eye with the man she was being forced to, and right away he kissed both of her cheeks, "What a beauty this is, pa. _Grazie_."

Her eyes were cold, but she produced a fake smile, "_Affascinato_."

Tony smirked, "So you speak Italian too, huh? That's good, I only know a few words, you'll be able to help me out."

"Of course," she stated, "please sit," she pulled out one of the chairs and sat down between Tony and her father, feeling one of the younger man's hands lay on her thigh, causing her to shiver in disgust.

"So, what're you two gonna do about an engagement party?" Tony's father drawled, his Italian-American accent thick with liquor and cigar smoke.

Giada froze, "An...engagement party?"

Tony nodded, "That's right babe, you, me, and our closest friends and family."

She shuddered as he called her 'babe', she didn't want him to call her anything. She wanted to be with Adrian, far away from here, but there was no escaping it, "Sounds...sounds perfect."

Her father nodded, "Invite anyone you want, sweetheart."

"Tab's on me," Ricardo smirked, shooting her a wink of approval.

Tony brought his mouth to her ear, "But on our weddin' night, _you'll_ be on top of _me_," he chuckled, flicking his tongue out to caress the curve of her ear.

Giada had to fight hard to resist the urge to beat him to a pulp then and there, feeling something cold slide onto her left ring finger. She looked down to see a white gold band with a large, pear cut diamond set in it, "For my beautiful bride, eh?"

She nodded, "Yes, bride..." her mind trailed off elsewhere, trying to ignore the brute's hand on her thigh, and the conversation around her, just wanting desperately to leave.

* * *

><p>Adrian sat at his desk, pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance. He'd lost the one woman in the world that could have possibly made him happy, and he was losing her to a filthy, crooked, mobster. Smoothing back his hair, he stood, walking over to the window to see that the streets were empty save for a few straggling men and women, shouting loudly out of drunken hysteria or drugged-up highs. Slowly he made his way for his bedroom, ignoring the phone which had just begun to ring.<p>

"Not in the mood," he grumbled, shutting his bedroom door, allowing darkness to envelope him. The moon had swiftly been covered by passing clouds, giving him very little light to see by, but he didn't care; darkness was something he was used to. Pulling down the gold quilt and deep, purple sheets, he climbed into bed, covering himself and burying his face in the pillow, trying to ignore the continuous ring of the phone.

"_Hello, you've reached the residence of Adrian Veidt, I am unable to answer the phone at this time but if you leave me your name, contact number, and brief message I will get back to you as soon as I can. Thank you_."

_BEEEP_

"_...Adrian...it's me, Giada. I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry, although I'm sure that's the last thing you want to hear from me_."

"Damn right," he mumbled.

"_My uh, my father's having an engagement party for Tony and I, despite how much I hate this...and the entire group is invited. I know Rorschach won't make a visible appearance but...I hope you will. Please, please come tomorrow night...I love you._" Click.

Adrian sighed, it was as if his heart was being pulled in two directions, about to tear open and bleed. He loved her, oh God how he loved her, and half of him wanted to call her right back and tell her that he didn't care, that he would find a way to be with her no matter the obstacles. The other half, wanted to only speak to her when necessary, and never have any contact with her again otherwise. He knew the half that hated her was wrong, but it was how he felt. He would go to the dinner the next night, and he would show her that he didn't care that she was marrying another man, a man he wished was him.

* * *

><p>Giada had left Adrian a voicemail, and that was all she could do. She hoped deep down that he would find it in his heart to show up to the dinner, but a part of her knew that his ego wouldn't allow it. Tony had tried to persuade her to spend the night with him, but she refused kindly, stating that her mother wouldn't let her out of her own house until they were married. He foolishly believed it, walking her up to the private door that led to her apartment, and sloppily kissed her goodnight. She could still taste the disgusting booze and smoke in his breath as he'd kissed her, and she knew that there was no kiss from Tony that would compare to the kiss she'd shared with Adrian not hours ago. His lips, so smooth and learned, formed perfectly to hers. His warm breath and skilled tongue hypnotized her, and as she closed her eyes she brought her fingertips to her lips, a soft, inaudible moan slipping past.<p>

"Giada?" her brother Michael questioned, poking his head into her bedroom, "Are you alright?"

She snapped back to reality, turning to look at him, "I'm fine. Go to bed."

He nodded, "Nice rock," he gestured to her new engagement ring, before slipping out and shutting the door once more.

The young woman groaned, taking off the ring and tossing it on her nightstand, wanting nothing to do with the meaningless piece of jewelry. It was as meaningless to her as she was to Tony, to him she was just a prize, his newest trophy. She had no doubt that she'd hear rumors of her future husband sleeping around with all of the loose women in Little Italy, and she didn't care. They could have him, they could marry him, but she would not. By word only would she be bound to that man, word and name alone. Her heart would always belong to Adrian. Turning off her lamp, she curled up beneath her sheets, gazing out the window at the night sky, now clouded and dim; tomorrow, she hoped, would be a bit more productive.

* * *

><p>"Come on Giada we'll be late for your own party!" her mother called from downstairs, waiting impatiently with her husband and Giada's brother. The young woman still hadn't emerged from her room, still standing in front of her mirror, dreading what was to follow.<p>

"Giada, what are you doing you stupid girl?" she whispered to herself, examining the long, dark purple dress she'd chosen to wear, hopefully Adrian would be there so he could see that she'd chosen the color just for him. Her engagement ring glittered lifelessly on her hand, appearing almost fake. She'd let her hair hang freely, the spiraled locks brushing against the revealed skin of her back as she turned and grabbed her trench coat, pulling it on along with a pair of black leather gloves, her purple heels clicking against the wood floor as she climbed down the stairs, linking arms with her father.

"What took so long?" Michael teased, walking down the street beside her.

She glanced at him, "I was finishing my makeup. You're too impatient."

"Tryin' to cover up your magic mark, sis?" he brushed his fingers against her cheek, tracing her birthmark.

"Hurry up! I want to get to the party before it gets too dark out!" her mother interjected, the four of them rushing down the streets to the Granzzana's restaurant six blocks down. When they arrived, there were already people filling the rooms, sparkling glasses of prossecco in their hands. Giada handed her coat and gloves to the coat check standing before them, smiling kindly before heading straight to the bar, seeing a familiar face.

"Laurie!" she beamed, hugging the dark-haired girl, "Thank God you guys are here!"

Laurie smiled softly, "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

Giada sighed, "You know I don't want this at all."

Jon placed a hand on her shoulder, making his presence known to her, "We know you don't love him, Giada. We know that this marriage is being forced on you. We're here to help you in any way we can."

She placed a hand on top of his, "Thank you. Who else is here?"

Laurie gestured behind her, "Dan's in the alley with Rorschach, he doesn't want to come in so Dan's keeping him company until you go out and say hi. Eddie's over there," she pointed to where the burly man stood, flirting with a few of Giada's cousins.

"And Adrian?" Giada swallowed before saying his name, looking at her friend in earnest.

The two vigilantes exchanged glances, before Jon spoke, "He's not here. I will not voice why you wish him to come."

She nodded, mouthing thanks before feeling a slithering hand around her waist, "Hey there beautiful," Tony smirked, kissing her cheek, "hope your not gettin' cold feet."

"Of course...not Tony, why would I?" the blonde questioned, turning to him quickly, "Uh Tony, this is Laurie and Jon, two of my best friends, Laurie, Jon, this is Tony, my..." she couldn't bring herself to say the word 'fiance'.

Tony shook their hands, highly uninterested, "Nice to meet ya, hey bartenda, can I get a glass of scotch on the rocks with a twist of lemon?"

Giada glanced at Laurie apologetically, placing a hand on Tony's arm, "Hun, why don't you just have prossecco with the rest of us?"

"Because I don't want no prossecco!" he sneered, shrugging her hand off, "Don't start tellin' me what to do, we ain't even married yet."

She nodded, feeling Laurie take her other hand, but she pulled it away with a smile, "I'm going to go see who else is here. Laurie, Jon, I'll talk to you later," she turned toward the alley entrance and stepped out into the cold air, seeing Dan and Rorschach standing by themselves and conversing lightly, "hey you two."

Dan looked up at her, "Wow! Giada you look, amazing!"

"Thank you," she gave him a hug, "thanks for coming."

Rorschach grunted, "Don't look happy. Don't like new fiance?"

Giada turned to him, "No Rorschach, I really don't. This is the one time I wish you would barge in there and kill him. But for now a hug will do." She was the only person Rorschach ever allowed physical contact with, the short-statured man hugging her quickly before letting go.

"Go back inside, don't want you to catch cold," he grumbled.

Dan nodded, "I'll take you back in," he held out his arm, letting Giada say goodnight to Rorschach one last time before opening the door, the two of them stepping back into the warm restaurant.

"Is Adrian coming?" she whispered to him, her eyes glittering in wonder.

The tall man sighed, "I haven't heard from him, I don't know G, I'm sorry."

It took all of her strength to fight back tears, "He...he must be busy."

Dan smirked, "Enjoy just being with your friends and family, try to ignore the situation."

She smiled, "Thanks Dan, I'll talk to you later, OK?"

"OK," he rubbed her forearm before walking over to Jon and Laurie. The young woman wandered the room, saying hello to people she'd known all her life, and to people she was just meeting. She met her future mother-in-law, who was a nasty old woman complaining that her dress was a horrid shade of purple, she met her sister-in-law, who was too busy smoking like a chimney to care what was going on, and she met Tony's godfather, who seemed to be the only decent person in the family. It was when she'd wandered to the far side of the room, away from the crowd, that she truly felt alone. Despite her friend's company, she didn't feel comfortable there, and she desperately wanted to leave. So busy staring out the window at the setting sun, she didn't notice who had entered the restaurant, handing his long, black coat to the coat check, his bright blue eyes scanning the room for her presence, before locating her and making an instantaneous beeline. A strong, soft hand rested on the smooth skin of her shoulder, pulling her attention away, and she caught her breath: he'd come. Wearing a black suit with thin, gold pinstripes, a deep purple dress shirt, and a pale purple tie, his light gold hair slicked perfectly into its usual style, not a hair out of place. His eyes glittered in the dim light, and it took her a few minutes before she spoke, "Adrian..."

* * *

><p>He'd been staring at his reflection for a good thirty minutes, straightening his already perfectly straight tie, then straightening it again. He'd buttoned and unbuttoned his suit jacket at least a hundred times, and he was pretty sure that he was going to walk a hole into the floor if he paced enough. Adrian had been debating whether or not going to the dinner was a good idea; what if he flipped out at her? What if she flipped out at him? What if one of them did something that made Tony flip out? What if something happened that caused them to get into an argument? There were far too many what if's for his taste, but finally, at 6:45 PM, he decided to go. Grabbing his long, black coat and black leather gloves, he dressed in his outerwear in the elevator down to the main floor. His driver was awaiting his arrival with the back passenger's door already open, "Mr. Veidt."<p>

Adrian nodded, "Thank you, William, Amore Mio in Little Italy, please."

"Yes sir," the driver nodded, closing the door after he'd gotten in, the blonde fidgeting with his gloves as the car made its way through the streets toward Downtown New York, finally arriving in Little Italy at 7:30. By now the party had been going on for a while, making him fashionably late, but then again, she'd never given him a specific time to arrive had she? "Thank you again William, I shall call you when I'm ready to leave," he stated, walking up to the restaurant entrance, pushing open the large, oak door. The coat check offered to take his coat and gloves, which Adrian gave him swiftly, straightening his suit jacket once before scanning the group of people for her. He saw Laurie, Jon, Dan, and Eddie, Rorschach had probably already seen Giada whilst hiding in the alley. After descending the one step, he saw her; she stood in the far corner of the room, her tan back visible to his eyes, the swirls of her birthmark slightly visible on her left side. Her gold curls fell down her back like a waterfall, but what surprised him most was the dress: it was the deep purple he was most fond of. Draping elegantly over her form, the back of the dress scooped just above the curve of her ass, the silk fabric hanging flawlessly.

Ignoring the stares of the other women in the room, he made a beeline for the guest of honor, hesitating to speak to her. _Come on you idiot, don't be a wuss_, he sighed, gently placing a hand on her shoulder, causing her to turn and look at him. When her eyes met his, he watched her sapphire orbs grow wide in amazement, her peach-colored lips parting slightly before she spoke. He examined her face, she was absolutely radiant: her birthmark contrasted proudly against the soft dusting of purple eyeshadow on the corners of her eyes, the black mascara and eyeliner framing her sparkling irises. "Adrian..." his voice falling from her lips was like honey, and it took all of his power not to sweep her in his arms and kiss her then and there.

"Hello Giada," he whispered, smiling kindly.

She grinned happily, "You came. I was afraid you weren't going to show."

Adrian looked down at her, the young woman even with heels stood a good four inches shorter than he, "I wouldn't have missed it," he watched her happiness fade at the realization as to why there were here, "you look absolutely beautiful."

Giada chuckled softly, "So do you."

He smirked, "I don't want to take any attention away from you."

"Please do," she pleaded, taking his hand, "Adrian I hate doing this to you. You don't know how it's killing me inside to have to go through with this."

His lips pursed as he took her into the other room, shutting the doors behind them and locking them so no one could disturb their conversation, "It's killing me, too."

She sighed, leaning against one of the tables, her free hand resting over her mouth, and it was then that he realized she was crying, "I can't do this, Adrian. I just can't. I'm terrified."

Adrian walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her back against his firm chest, "Sssh," he kissed the crown of her head, "I understand."

"Y-You do?" she turned to face him, amazed at what he'd just said, "I don't...why? Why are you just accepting it?"

"I'm accepting it the same as you are, Giada," he brushed a loose curl out of her face, "no matter how I am dying inside I will always love you, and you alone," his hand cupped her face, and he watched her eyes close as she leaned into his caress, "you have no idea how much I wish it was me you were marrying instead of him," his voice had lowered to an almost inaudible whisper, and Giada opened her eyes to gaze at his sunken face.

She placed a hand upon his cheek, "Look at me," she urged his gaze to meet hers, "I will _always_ love you."

Adrian couldn't take it any longer, in one swift movement she was flush against his strong frame, their mouths crashing together in fiery passion. Giada moaned as his hands roamed freely, groping her body in lustful worship. Adrian groaned as he felt her suck on his bottom lip, her fingers pulling at his hair. He lifted her onto the table, his fingers digging into her ass as he did so, his mouth latching onto her neck.

"Adrian..." she moaned, feeling his muscles ripple beneath his clothes as he traced his tongue along the many swirls lining her neck.

He sighed, hitching the hem of her dress up around her waist, pulling down the pair of scant, purple lace panties she'd worn underneath, "I want you, Giada."

The young woman brought her mouth hurriedly back to his, her fingers reaching between them to make quick work of his belt, the soft zip of his fly coming undone was lost in the sound of their gasps and moans. Giada had to suppress a moan of shock as she felt his hard length in her hand, watching his eyes roll back into his head as she stroked it a few times, becoming familiar with his size.

"Giada," he gasped, lifting her leg around his hip as he pushed into her hard, the table hitting the wall as he did so. She had to bite the shoulder pad of his suit to avoid crying out in pure ecstasy, his thrusts were strong and powerful as he whispered how much he loved her over and over in her ear. Her throat burned from shortness of breath, her skin sticking to the wood of the table with perspiration as she pulled him deeper by pressing her shins against the back of his thighs.

Adrian felt as if he was going to collapse, between the relief of having her to himself and the amount of pleasure he was both giving and receiving, he was going to explode, "I-I can't hold on...anymore..." he panted, bracing a hand against the wall to thrust faster.

Giada bit into his suit again, moaning louder against the fabric, "Adrian! Adrian! Adrian!" she cried his name as soft as she could, feeling the two of them come together caused white spots to flash before her eyes, her entire body shaking.

He sighed, pulling out and pressing his lips to the crown of her head, "I love you."

She smiled, looking up at his flushed, shining face, small beads of sweat had just begun to form along his hairline from the heat in the room, "I love you, too," she kissed the hand that he had brought to her shoulder, helping her stand, "we need to get back, people will get suspicious."

Adrian nodded, finding the nearest reflective object to straighten himself out in before turning to her, picking up a neatly folded napkin and dabbing away the sweat on her neck, "Beautiful as always."

Giada smirked, bending down to pull up her panties, but hesitating, "Adrian where are my-"

He held up the piece of purple lingerie, "If I can't have you every day and night, I at least get a memoir," a smile playing across his lips.

The young woman sauntered over to him, taking the undergarment and sliding it into his pant pocket, brushing against his crotch as she pressed a kiss to his lips, "At night I'm yours."

Adrian grinned, remembering their patrol duties, "Come, let's return you to the sorry bastard who doesn't deserve you," he placed a hand on her waist, leading her out of the room and back to the party, where no one had even noticed they'd been missing.

"Giada!" Tony slurred, striding over to her and pulling her against his chest, "Where ya been sweetheart I've been lookin' everywhere for ya!"

She sighed, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, "Just talking with an old friend. Adrian this is Tony, Tony, this is Adrian Veidt."

The Italian clasped hands with Adrian, and he could smell the alcohol on the dark-haired man as strong as cologne, "Charmed I'm sure."

Tony chuckled drunkenly, "Veidt? Like the billionaire playboy? Man ain't it nice that my future wife's got such good connections?" he slapped Giada's ass, causing several of the guests to gasp in distaste, and Adrian to clench jaw and ball his fists in anger, "Go get me and your buddy here a couple glasses of whiskey, toots."

Giada glared at him, her face red with embarrassment from his display not moments ago, "I'm not your slave, Tony."

"You're my fiance and you'll fuckin' do whateva I tell ya to do! Now go get the booze!" he shouted, pointing in the direction of the bar.

Adrian exchanged a sorrowful glance with her as she turned and walked to the bar, ignoring stares from friends and family, "I'm tellin' ya Adrian, you want a gal that'll tend to your every need, marry an Italian broad," Tony chuckled, slinging an arm around Adrian's shoulders.

"I'm sure I could find less, demeaning ways of having a wife," he shoved the drunken man's arm off of him, "Giada is a wonderful woman, and you talk to her like a piece of garbage."

The shorter man snickered, "She-She's a woman! She's supposed to take care of her husband!"

"You're not her husband yet," Adrian snarled back, his gaze growing hard with anger.

Tony smirked victoriously, bringing his face closer to the blonde's, forcing him to smell the booze and cigar smoke, "_Yet_. And when she is, you won't be seein' so much of her anymore."

Adrian was ready to pounce on him, but a strong hand on his shoulder held him back, "That's enough, Adrian," Eddie interrupted, stepping between the two of them, "why don't you go outside and take a breather, huh?"

Giada came back with the two glasses, handing one to Adrian and shoving the other at Tony, "Here, maybe now you'll be drunk enough to not even remember the whore's name that you were hooking up with in the bathroom all this time," she yanked on his shirt collar, the ruby red lipstick clearly not belonging to her.

Tony glared at her, "Why you little-"

"Enough, Tony!" his father snapped, pulling Giada away from him, "That's enough liquor for one night. Luca take your daughter home, I will speak to you tomorrow," he shot at Giada's father, shoving the girl at him.

Adrian watched with worried eyes as she was practically dragged out of the restaurant, and all he wanted to do was chase after her, "I should go before this gets any worse."

"Yes we should," Dan agreed, walking with him, Jon, Laurie, and Eddie to the door, the few who had brought coats gathering them from the coat check before exiting, hearing the shouting match between father and son behind them.

Laurie sighed, "I'm gonna go check on Giada, I'll see you home," she pressed a kiss to Jon's lips, "I'll see you guys tomorrow night," she hugged Dan and Adrian in turn before rushing down the street to Giada's family's restaurant. Adrian had called for his driver, who came and picked him up not but minutes later, the man's thoughts drawing back to their encounter in the empty dining room. Her lips, the soft skin of her thighs, the wet warmth of her womanhood, it was all so hypnotic. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the pair of panties, just to remind himself that it wasn't all a dream, "Home please, William."


	3. Chapter 3

The car traveled slowly out of Little Italy and back toward the uptown area of New York, all the while Adrian's mind buzzing with worry. Was she alright? Had she been hurt? Had that filthy mongrel touched her in any way? The blonde gritted his teeth in anger, just thinking about that man made his blood boil with fury. He wanted to turn the car around and go straight back to Giada's apartment, but he knew that it was the stupidest thing to do at the moment. She needed space, Laurie was there, and she was safe. Adrian sighed, still toying with the lace lingerie in his hand, still thinking about how he could get her away from all of this unhappiness. He couldn't let her marry Tony, he just couldn't.

"Mr. Veidt?" William questioned as they neared the busy streets, "Do you wish me to pick up your usual order, sir?"

Adrian smiled, _I really must give him a __raise_, "No, William, I'll cook myself tonight. Thank you."

The driver nodded, "Yes sir."

Plots and ideas whirled like cogs as he continued to think of plans; she could elope with him, but it was too risky, she could change her name, change her appearance, but her family would find her. There was one other option, but he highly doubted that she would consent to it. _Much too dangerous_, he assured himself, but the thought lingered. Maybe, just maybe it would work.

* * *

><p>Laurie listened to her friend sob in the other room; Giada had been hysterical ever since they walked through the door, and there was no way that she was going to be able to stop. Tony had made the blonde look like a fool, and what was worse, he'd done it in front of Adrian. Giada knew that she wouldn't be able to take much more abuse from the drunkard she had to call her fiance, but there was nothing more she could do. The only light in her life was the Watchmen and Adrian, and the thought made her sick to her stomach: what if she couldn't sneak out at night after she got married? Tony could bolt the windows shut and lock the door from the inside and out. God only knows what she would do if the only thing that kept her sane was cut off from her like air to her lungs.<p>

Giada knew that Laurie was pacing outside of her bedroom door, and she was expecting Adrian to burst in at any minute, but she figured that he had returned to his apartment, and it was solidified by a phone call from said person.

"Giada, it's Adrian, he wants to talk to you, see how you're doing," Laurie called from the other side of the door, giving the younger woman a chance to compose herself before picking up the other line.

"Hello?"

"_Giada, darling are you alright?_" Adrian's voice was filled with worry.

She sighed, sniffling, "I've been better."

"_Do you want me to come back? I can have my driver bring me there faster than you could blink_."

"No, no it's OK. Laurie's here I'll be alright."

He sighed, "_I want to get you out of there, Giada. I don't want you to marry him, he's a brute!_"

"Adrian, I can't be with you, you know that."

"_We love one another don't we? Love can conquer anything!_"

Giada smiled at his cliche, "Not everything. It can't conquer the iron grip that Tony has on my future."

She could hear the frustration in his tone, "_We'll figure something out, I promise you. Aside from that, are you two coming to the meeting tomorrow?_"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," she smiled, "don't forget my gloves and mask."

"_They haven't moved since. I won't forget them._"

Giada's eyes found Laurie standing in the doorway, a smirk on the brunette's face said more than the blonde wanted to see, "Goodnight, Adrian."

"_Goodnight, my love. Sweet dreams_." click.

After putting the phone back on her bedside table, the Italian girl stared at her friend, "What's that look for?"

Laurie chuckled, stepping into the room, "Oh nothing, just noticing the doves and hearts fluttering over your head at the moment."

The two girls laughed, a blush creeping across Giada's cheeks, "He makes me feel things, Laurie. Things I never thought I would ever feel in my life."

Her friend smiled, "I know what you mean. Jon and I, there's a connection there that I don't think anyone could ever understand, and I can see that with you and Adrian. The way he looks at you, G, it's like he's staring at his reason for existing."

She sighed, "That's how it feels. When I'm away from him, it's almost as if I can't breathe. Like a part of me is missing somehow."

Laurie's smile faded slightly, "What about Tony?"

"Tony?" Giada chuckled dryly, "he makes me feel like vomiting."

A soft giggle escaped Laurie's lips, "He's not exactly the greatest man in the world...why are you marrying him anyway, G?"

That was the question Giada wanted so desperately answered, but she responded with the only reply she could give, "I have no choice."

Laurie nodded, "You always have a choice, Giada, whether it's easy or not. I'm gonna go, Jon's probably wondering what's taking me so long, I'll see you tomorrow," the two women embraced quickly before the brunette's departure, leaving Giada alone in her room. The patter of rain on her window was soothing, and allowed her to lie down and close her eyes, lulling her into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

><p>The next morning was uneventful, having to spend it with her future mother and sister-in-law at church and shopping for produce, all the while her father, fiance, and future father-in-law were discussing last night's fiasco. It seemed like Giada was looking at her watch every five minutes, wanting so desperately for it to be three o'clock so she could go home and get ready for the long night she had ahead of her. But there was only one problem: Tony. Would he even let her leave? Or would he force her to stay with him the entire night whilst he smoked, drank, and gambled away what amount of money his father had given him. She didn't have long to dwell on the thought, for Mrs. Granzzanna was beckoning her to come look at the ghastly flowers the florist had chosen for her.<p>

"Which do you like better, Giada?" the woman held up a white rose and a purple orchid, obviously testing her future daughter-in-law's taste.

Giada stared at the purple orchid, a smile creeping across her face, "The orchid. It's exotic, unusual, and unexpected."

Mrs. Granzzanna's face took on a sour expression, "You have an odd fascination with this horrid color purple, don't you Giada?"

Tony's sister lit yet another cigarette, puffs of smoke surrounding her face, "Probably because of that friend of hers, what's his name? Veidt?"

The blonde stared at the young woman angrily, "_Adrian_ has nothing to do with my liking of the color. I like the color purple because it has an elegance about it. Much more so than most other colors."

"I thought you liked blue?" Mrs. Granzzanna stated questioningly.

Giada smiled, "Blue is my favorite color, yes, but purple has it's positives as well. Now I hate to be rude, but I have to go. It was wonderful spending time with you," quicker than she had wanted to portray, she turned on her heel and rushed down the sidewalk, hoping to beat her father back to the apartment, which she had. Her mother was asleep and her brother was out, which gave her the perfect opporitunity to make a quick phone call.

"Hello, I need to speak with Adrian Veidt. Giada Montecelli. Thank you."

The hold music made her smile, it was most certainly Adrian's taste, but she wasn't on hold for long, "_Giada, is everything alright? Are you OK? Did he hurt you?_"

The young woman chuckled, "No Adrian I'm fine," she sighed, sitting down at the kitchen table, "I was wondering if I could spend the rest of the day at your apartment, then go to the meeting with you. I don't want to be here when Tony comes searching for me, I won't be able to-"

"_Say no more, G, I'll send my driver._"

Giada grinned, "Thank you, Adrian."

"_Of course darling, I'll see you soon_."

"I love you," she stated softly.

"_I love you, too_," she could hear the smile in his voice as he hung up.

As soon as she hung up she heard the apartment door slam shut, "G?"

She shut her eyes angrily, "Dammit."

A pair of hands gripped her shoulders, "Hello gorgeous," Tony kissed her cheek sloppily, sitting down next to her, "who were you on the phone with?"

Giada stood, "No one special. I'm going to visit Laurie, her mother's in town we're going out to dinner. If you're still here I'll be in late, if not I'll see you tomorrow," she attempted to leave the kitchen, but she was slammed against the wall, the putrid smell of alcohol being huffed into her face as Tony gripped her throat.

"Not, until I get what I deserve," he spun around and threw her against the kitchen table, slamming her head down against the wood.

"Ah!" she grunted gripping the sides of the table as she felt the hem of her skirt push up around her waist, "Tony...Tony please don't do this."

He growled, ripping the cloth of her panties and tossing the ruined undergarment aside, fumbling with his belt buckle, "C'mon."

Giada struggled, "_Mamma! Papa! Aiutami, ti prego! Aiuto! Mamma!_ _Papa__!_"

"Shut up whore!" he backhanded her across the face.

The young woman's cheek seared with pain, and she shut her eyes, bracing herself for the worst experience she could ever experience, but suddenly there was a loud crash, and she felt Tony's grip on her release. Her eyes burst open to see her father standing with a shot gun, pointed directly at Tony who was slumped against the radiator, a bloody nose to boot, "You stay away from my daughter you disgusting pig!"

Tony chuckled, wiping the blood from his face, "She's...she's my fiance. You can't cut your deal now, Luca, she's marrying me one way or...another."

Giada's father glared at him angrily, "That may be so, but until then you are not to lay a hand on my daughter, is that understood?"

The young man mumbled angrily, fixing his clothes enough to walk out the door, slamming it behind him.

"Giada, _bambina_, are you alright?" her father helped her to stand, inspecting her face, "Jesus Christ."

She shoved away from her father, rushing into her room and locking the door, grabbing her suitcase before throwing open her closet door. Her hands grabbed everything and anything she could find, especially her costume, before stuffing it all into the bag. She then went into her bathroom, gathering up her toiletries and tossing them on top, zippering it closed.

"_Giada, Giada open this door!_" her father demanded, banging his fist angrily.

"Go away!" she cried, grabbing her trench coat and wrapping it around her tightly, seeing Adrian's sleek, black car parked waiting for her. As quick as she could she grabbed her suitcase, opened the door, and pushed past her parents who stood shocked and amazed at what she was doing.

"Giada! Giada get back here this instant!" her mother cried.

Her father ran after her, "Giada! Giada Monticelli come back here!"

All of the cries were ignored as the young woman tossed her suitcase into the trunk of the car, climbing into the back before the driver even had a chance to open the door for her, "Drive, now!"

"Yes ma'am," William nodded, driving down Canal Street and away from Little Italy, "Mr. Veidt said to bring you to his apartment."

Giada nodded, "Yes, thank you very much I'm...I'm sorry for the rush."

William's eyes gazed at her in the rearview mirror, "Not a problem at all."

For the first time in a long while, Giada was able to relax, as if she'd been wearing a corset for the past three years and was finally allowed to breathe. She had decided to leave Little Italy for good, despite the fact that she was leaving her family behind, but there was no other way to escape it, to escape the fate her father had condemned her to. The decision solidified itself with each passing block, from downtown to uptown, until the town car pulled in front of the beautiful complex that was dubbed home to many of the city's socialites. William came around and opened the door for the young woman, "Welcome to paradise ma'am, Mr. Veidt is expecting you."

Giada saw the kind smile on the gentleman's face and she returned it sincerely, "Thank you..."

"William, ma'am."

"William. Thank you very much William, for your help," she smiled, holding out her hand, "My name is Giada, you don't have to call me ma'am."

The driver chuckled, "Very well Miss Giada, take the elevator to the thirtieth floor."

She nodded, taking her suitcase in hand and entering the luxurious building, her heels clicking on the marble floor. The blonde felt comfortable here, not just because of the lush, expensive atmosphere, but because she felt she truly belonged. It was difficult to ignore the stares of all the other patrons of the complex as she walked to the elevator, she assumed it was because she wasn't wearing the latest fashion trend, but she knew that her clothing was just as expensive as theirs, despite the fact that it was paid for with illegal money. _No more of that_, she thought, shaking her head of the ridiculous notion of her past.

A ding from the elevator alerted her to the arrival of the lift, and followed by an elderly woman with a chihuahua and a younger man with a _Times_ magazine in his hand, she entered, "Which floor ma'am?"

The elderly woman eyed her, "I didn't know the complex had gotten an elevator attendant! Quite extraordinary! Twelfth floor dear."

Giada stiffened uncomfortably at the reference of her notion mistaking her for being an employee, but pressed the button nonetheless.

"Seventeenth floor for me," the man grumbled, not looking up from his magazine.

She glared at him, and instead pressed the fifteenth floor, knowing that the man would pay no attention, after pressing the button for the thirtieth floor, she stepped back away from the two aristocrats, examining them from head to toe. The elderly woman reeked of a strong perfume, makeup caked her wrinkled face, and she wore more jewelry than the Queen of Sheba. Her chihuahua even wore a diamond-encrusted collar, the ratlike dog shivering in her arms. The blonde's gaze shifted to the man, his cologne was subtle, his dark hair slicked back, glasses perched on the tip of his nose. A brown, cashmere coat covered a custom-tailored suit, Italian leather shoes on his feet.

It always amazed her how cruel people could be, especially if they had money. Of course there were the rare few, Jon, Dan, Adrian, Laurie, and herself, that were the exceptions. Rorschach she knew did not come from money, nor did he have much of it, but he was the true face of justice, something she admired in the vigilante. The twelfth floor arrived and the elderly woman turned to her, holding out a ten dollar bill, "Thank you dear, that's for you."

Giada held up her hand, "Thank you but it was merely a gesture of kindness."

The old woman stared at her, "You mean you don't work here?"

"Afraid not, _signora_," she smiled, her blue eyes glittering with false kindness.

Her chihuahua growled, shivering more, "Well, I hope you don't live here dressed like _that_. Blue is so passe."

Giada's face hardened, "Coming from a woman who wears enough jewelry to be a walking store. My dress costs as much as your earrings and necklace combined."

The elderly woman scoffed, exiting the elevator in a huff, leaving Giada with the man, who still ignored her and continued reading his magazine. It was then that the young woman examined what she was in fact wearing: the dark blue, turtleneck dress hugged tightly to her figure, the simple, silver bangle cuff on her left wrist glinted in the dim light. Nothing suggested that she was an employee, but to the resident's eyes she was definitely under-dressed. Fifteenth floor arrived and the man got off as expected, unaware that he was two floors under where he needed to be. She chuckled, shaking her head softly before pressing the thirtieth floor button once more. It didn't feel like much more of a trip to the top floor, and when the elevator finally arrived Giada let out a sigh of relief: she was free.

Exiting the lift, her heels were silenced by the lush carpeting, the only door visible was one right in front of her, one she knew very well. Her slender hand rapped on the expensive wood, her ears picking up the subtle tap of his shoes against the floor, her breathing grew heavy when the barrier opened, and she came face-to-face with Adrian.

"Giada," he smiled.

The young woman grinned, "I'm free Adrian, I'm free and I'm never going back."


	4. Chapter 4

Adrian had heard the knock on his front door, and the sound made his heart leap with joy. She'd finally arrived, a bit later than he had expected, but she had arrived. Calmly he approached the door, trying to suppress his excitement to no avail. His hand wrapped around the door knob, and with a swift movement, he was staring into the sapphire blue eyes he'd grown to love. She wore a figure-hugging turtleneck dress in her favorite shade of blue, a silver bangle on her wrist gave the outfit a sophisticated touch. He smiled, "Giada."

The grin that crossed her face made his body warm, "I'm free Adrian, I'm free and I'm never going back."

At those words he could not stop his jaw from dropping, the unbelievable wave of shock crashed over him, "Oh Giada, come here!" he took her in his arms and brought his lips hurriedly to hers, shutting the door behind them. Giada moaned helplessly into his mouth, winding her slender arms around his neck. She never wanted to leave this place, never wanted to leave him, however she knew Tony would come after her, but Adrian could, _would_, protect her. The kiss lasted a few moments, Adrian unable to quell the emotions overflowing him, but when he broke their embrace, he rested his forehead gently against hers, "I love you so much."

She smiled, "I love you too, Adrian."

He sighed, curling a tendril of her hair around his finger, "I'll never let anything happen to you."

"I know," Giada kissed the tip of his nose, "I know."

Adrian smirked, wrapping his arms around her, "Now, let's get you settled in," he led her further into the apartment, most of which she was familiar with, but there were rooms she had yet to see. Like his bedroom, for instance, which is exactly where he was taking her.

"Adrian I just got here," she teased, seeing the mischievous glint in his eye, but the arm around her waist tightened.

"Nothing like that, darling, just showing you where you will keep your things," he opened the door, taking her by the hand into his bedroom. The walls were adorned lightly with one or two paintings of Ancient Egypt, the furniture was carved of dark woods, and the fabrics were shades of his favorite purple and gold. Giada caught her breath lightly, her Caribbean blue orbs scanning the area.

"This closet is all yours my dear, the bathroom is to your left, which there is more than enough room for us to share," he smiled opening the french-door closet for her, turning to see the wonderment on her face. This is how he wanted her, in his home, by his side, forever.

The young woman just beamed, "Adrian, thank you."

He shook his head, walking over and taking the suitcase from her hand, placing it on the floor, "No need," he took her hands in his, "this is where you belong."

Giada nodded, "As long as I'm with you, I'll go anywhere."

Adrian pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, "You can hang your costume in the back of the closet, let me get your gloves and mask," he kissed her forehead before leaving the room, allowing her to start unpacking. Giada noticed that in her rush, all of her clothes had gotten a tad disheveled, but nothing an iron couldn't fix. Piece by piece she hung her clothes, admiring the room a tad more as she did so. The painting she was looking at was of the God Horus, descending upon one of the many pharaohs of that age. It was beautifully painted on limestone, the glinting gold paint and dark, black ink contrasted nicely. It wasn't until she felt his strong arms around her waist that she snapped out of her trance.

She smiled as his lips found the crook of her neck, "You know, if you want to keep this under the radar, you're going to have to _try_ and keep your hands off of me around the others."

"How can I when you always look so ravishing?" he breathed huskily in her ear, his warm breath against her skin sent chills down her spine.

"You're the smartest man on the planet, you tell me," the young woman countered, turning in his arms to face him, kissing beneath his jaw, "I left some things back in Little Italy."

Adrian looked down at her, "I'll send someone to fetch the rest of your things later, but now I think we should kill some time, hmm?"

Giada smirked, "What did you have in mind?"

"I was thinking of a nice lunch, stroll through Central Park, how does that sound?"

"Sounds wonderful."

The man grinned, "Excellent, just give me a moment to change, and then we'll go."

It was then that she noticed he'd been wearing a pair of grey sweatpants and matching sweatshirt, quite unlike anything she'd ever seen him in. _Even Ozymandias knows how to be __casual_, she mused, sitting down on the plush bed to wait for him. Her eyes followed his every move, watching him gather his attire for the afternoon: a pair of black slacks, a deep purple polo shirt, and a pair of black, leather dress shoes. Adrian shot a glance her way, giving her a loving smile, one which she returned greatly. Giada then watched his hands move to the hem of his sweatshirt, his slender fingers pulling the fabric upward, revealing a well-defined torso. It took quite a good amount of control not to blush as she examined the specimen before her. His abdomen and pectorals were chiseled to perfection, the sleek lines of his arms explained simply how he trained his body to be so fit. It was when her eyes fell to his lower abdomen that she studied the sculpted 'V' that dipped beneath the waistband of his sweatpants, a soft blush creeping across her cheeks as she thought back to the night in the restaurant.

Adrian looked over at her, noting the color that had crossed her face, "Everything alright, love?"

Giada nodded, "Fine."

He smirked, pushing the waistband of his sweatpants down, leaving him in nothing but a pair of white briefs. His eyes wandered to her once more, watching her glance around the room appreciatively, "There's something you're not telling me, G."

She stared at him as he walked over, taking the slacks off the bed and putting them on, "Nothing. Everything is fine."

Adrian nodded, "Mm, always so secretive," he walked back over to his dresser and rummaging through the drawer for a belt. When he found one that suited his attire, he turned back around, lacing it through the belt loops as he noted her movement to her suitcase, pushing it to the far corner of the closet, "your gloves and mask are on the dresser."

Giada turned, seeing the two articles of her costume lying on the dark wood of the dresser where he was standing. She smiled, picking his shirt up off of the bed and bringing it to him, "Thank you for keeping them safe."

He smirked, "Absolutely," he took the shirt from her, "thank you."

The young woman grinned, inhaling his subtle cologne, "You're welcome."

Adrian's eyes followed her back to the edge of the bed, pulling the shirt on before tucking it into the waistband of his slacks, buckling the belt closed, "How do I look?"

She chuckled, "Very handsome."

He laughed softly, walking over to sit beside her, putting on his shoes. Giada placed a hand on his back, rubbing soothing circles, "Are you alright?"

The man stopped as he finished, not expecting the random question, he brought his eyes to meet hers, "Never better, why do you ask?"

"No reason," she shrugged, standing up and putting her gloves and mask in the closet with the rest of her costume.

"G, no more secrets," he took her slender waist in his hands, turning her to face him, "what's bothering you?"

Giada sighed, placing a hand on his cheek, "I don't want you to get angry and storm off to Little Italy with a vendetta to kill Tony."

Adrian chuckled, "I've wanted to kill him since you told me you were engaged to him," his eyes lingered to her left hand, taking note of the ring that was no longer on her finger, "however I will do nothing without your approval." He kissed her forehead, wrapping her in his arms, "Now, let's get something to eat."

She looked up at him, straightening his collar that had been standing up, "Let's."

* * *

><p>The sun shone brightly above Central Park, the soft cooing of pigeons and the clop of horse and buggies a nice reprieve from the whiz of taxi cabs and buses. Giada sighed contently, Adrian's arm around her waist as they walked; this was how her life was meant to be. She brought her gaze to look up at the man by her side, his gold hair glinting in the afternoon sunlight. Yes, she was madly in love with him now, and nothing could hold her back from saying so. The young woman rested her head on his shoulder, feeling his arm pull her closer to his large frame.<p>

Adrian loved the feeling of having her in his arms like that, so peaceful and relaxed. His eyes wandered downward, admiring her tan skin glowing beneath her golden curls. She was his to cherish, his to adore, and his to worship; like the great goddess Hathor, Egypt's epitome of love. He looked up as they came to a fork in the path, tugging on her waist slightly to lead her to the right.

"Where are you taking me?" she questioned, like a young child being held in suspense during a family outing.

"It's a surprise," he chided, leading her down towards the lake.

Giada huffed, wrapping her arm around his chest, "I hate surprises, Adrian."

His laugh rumbled against her ear, "Well then I shan't keep you in the dark much longer, my darling," he stood behind her, bringing his hands over her eyes, "now let me guide."

She growled, "Adrian!"

"I apologize but it is a surprise after all," he chuckled, listening to her rebuttal in her fluent tongue. Adrian could make out a few words, such as "crazy" and "ridiculous" but other than that his Italian needed much work.

Giada let him lead her onward, the black abyss her eyes were trapped beneath only made her more impatient. It wasn't until a few minutes later that he stopped moving, allowing her to hear the soft sloshing of water, the quiet chatter of people, and other such sounds.

"Alright, here we are," he removed his hands, and a gasp fell from the blonde woman's lips: is was magnificent. The sun was positioned perfectly above the trees, the lake glittering like a sea of diamonds and sapphires, a few rowboats scattering its surface. A small, al fresco restaurant was where he'd taken her, hidden away from the main drag of Central Park. The small, cozy two-top tables covered in white linen were idyllic, warmth spread through her body at the scent of fresh rosemary and garlic, wafting off of the many plates of food being rushed out of the kitchen.

"Adrian it's amazing," she breathed, her eyes shining brightly.

He smiled, pressing his lips to the crown of her head, "I'm glad you like it," he spoke into her hair, inhaling the sweet scent of coconut emanating from her beautiful locks. He walked with her over to the hostess, who smiled at them brightly.

"Hello, welcome to Bistro Fleur de Lys, table for two?" her bright green eyes stared at the two of them happily.

Adrian nodded, "Yes, please."

She grinned, "This way," gesturing for the two of them to follow her into the dining space.

Giada kept a soft hold on Adrian's hand as he walked with her through the slight crowd of tables, each filled with Wall Street bankers and magazine editors, all catching their daily lunch or business meeting. The hostess had led them to a table right along the edge of the lake, placing their menus down on the table, "Your server will be with you shortly, _joiur_."

Adrian stepped behind her to pull out her chair, "Madame."

She smirked, "Taking an Italian girl to a French bistro, how creative."

He chuckled, kissing her cheek as she sat, "I thought you'd like something different for a change," he sat down across from her, immediately taking her hand, "I cannot tell you how happy I am that you're here."

"Neither can I," she traipsed her thumb across the top of his hand, feeling the warmth of his skin comforted her, "now what are we having?"

Adrian sat back, picking up the menu, "Whatever you want."

Giada chuckled, "You order, might as well keep up your veil of surprise."

The man's eyebrow arched in interest, "Not very well trained in the art of French cuisine are we?"

She glared at him playfully, "I haven't ventured out of the realm of Italian food much, no."

He smirked, gazing back down at the menu, "Very well then."

As the waiter came and took their order, Giada merely watched the scenery around them, the sun shining through the leaves on the trees above them, dancing off of the surface of the water, children's laughter coming from a distant area on the other side of the lake. She could feel Adrian's hand still holding hers, the entrancing texture of smooth skin and rough callouses on his palm.

"Tell me what you're thinking," he urged, leaning back in his chair to take a sip of ice water.

Her eyes found his, soft and questioning, "I'm thinking about how perfect this is."

His lips pressed against the top of her hand, "Almost too perfect to be real."

Giada felt a smile tug at the corners of her mouth, leaning back as their food was placed before them, "What on earth did you order me?" she giggled, staring down at the plate before her.

Adrian grinned, "Pan seared foie gras with mustard seed and Bordeaux au jus."

She stared down at the dish awkwardly, foie gras was not a common ingredient that she'd seen before, but she knew what it was, and was not looking forward to trying it, "Adrian..."

"You'll like it, and if you don't we'll order you something else, I promise."

Giada took a tentative bite, trying to accustom her mouth to the flavor, but the texture caught her gag reflexes first, _No_, she thought, bringing her napkin to her mouth politely, spitting it out quietly and quickly.

The notion didn't go unnoticed by her lover, who merely smiled understandingly and gestured for their waiter, quickly ordering her a different meal, "It's an acquired taste, darling, don't worry."

"Do you like it?" she questioned, moving the plate to the center of the table.

Adrian shook his head, "No, I'm a vegetarian."

Her eyes grew wide as her mouth fell open, "You ordered me something without even knowing what it tasted like!" she laughed, tapping his ankle with her foot, seeing him feign hurt.

"Ow!" he teased, tapping her ankle in return, "I ordered you roast chicken if that makes you feel any better."

Giada smiled triumphantly, "Yes it does. What time is it?"

The man's eyes flitted to his watch, "We have two hours before we have to get to the meeting, we'll be done in plenty of time."

The couple finished their meal, conversing lightly and laughing amongst themselves, drawing soft attention from the nosy upper class around them. Neither one could have cared, however, and soon they left and were heading back to Adrian's apartment, the sun setting slowly as they changed into their other personas.

* * *

><p>Nighttime was when she felt the most free now, especially if the night was a quiet one. She and Ozymandias had been patrolling for the past four hours, and nothing had alerted them to trouble. The two vigilantes now stood watch on their usual rooftop, the wind rushing through her hair and billowing his cape. It was during times like this that they would normally banter back and forth at one another, the innocent flirtation between the two of them keeping them busy, but that was over now, no use flirting with someone you love.<p>

Ozymandias watched as she leaned against the ledge, looking down at the street below them. The dim lights from the street lamps gave her an unnatural glow, "You're so beautiful," he whispered, just loud enough so she could hear.

Mirage turned, her eyes shining bright beneath her mask, "You flatter, Ozzy."

"I mean it," he strode forward, taking her small frame in his arms, "you're perfect in every sense of the word."

His voice was low and husky, sending chills down Mirage's spine as his supple lips pressed against hers, her knees growing weak. She moaned against the kiss, parting his lips with her tongue, plunging into the wet warmth of his mouth. Ozymandias pulled her tighter against his chest, groaning in pleasure as his tongue dueled with hers for dominance. Some time during their passionate embrace, he pinned her against the wall of the rooftop entrance, her legs wrapped around his waist. They broke the kiss, each panting heavily before he brought his mouth to her neck, kissing a trail down to her collarbone, her moans of delight making his blood run hot, his erection straining uncomfortably against his costume, "Mirage," he husked against her skin, tasting the soft saltiness of perspiration.

The young woman gasped, sliding her gloved fingers through his hair, "Wh-What time is it?" she questioned quickly, wanting nothing more than to return to his apartment for the night.

Ozymandias kissed her once more, "Come, there's nothing going on tonight," he took her hand and they rushed out of the cold night air, back uptown where they could be alone. The two of them burst through the door, a tangle of thrashing limbs and hurried kisses. He knew Jon would be furious that they left their post early, but at the moment the man could care less. Swiftly he removed her mask, wanting so much to take her as her normal self.

Giada pulled his mask from his face, feeling his hands slide down beneath the curve of her ass, lifting her up to pin her back against the wall. She moaned loudly, arching her back as he kissed the exposed curvature of her breasts, her hands gripping his shoulders tightly. "Adrian," she sighed, pulling at the back of his costume, wanting to feel his skin against hers.

Adrian carried her into the darkness of his bedroom, each piece of their armor hitting the floor with a soft thud until there was nothing between them. It was only then that he turned on a light, and he had to catch his breath at what he saw: she was a vision. Her birthmark detailed the entire left side of her body, like an ancient tattoo, her breasts her pert and supple, her legs long and lean. Giada's eyes took in every inch of his body; his sculpted muscles, his soft skin, and as her eyes traveled lower, a smile curled across her lips: she'd gotten _very_ lucky. Adrian stepped forward slowly, taking her in his arms, "You're beautiful."

The young woman merely brought her lips to his, kissing him passionately as she felt the backs of her shins against the edge of the bed. _The point of no return_, she chuckled inwardly. Adrian gently pushed her back against the plush bedding, his body covering her small frame. He slowly ghosted his lips against her skin, placing soft kisses along her body until he reached her breasts, taking one pert nipple in the warmth of his mouth. Giada's body immediately arched against his, her head falling back with a soft moan. Adrian then brought his hand to the other, massaging it painfully slow, before switching, making sure to give both breasts equal treatment. He could feel her body arching against his, wriggling with delight, and he then decided to abandon his current motive and move downward. Giada opened her eyes slightly to see why he'd stopped, only to watch him spread her legs apart, nestling his face between the apex of her thighs.

"Adrian," she hastened, causing him to look up at her, but as he did, he slid his tongue up along her clit, causing her body to shiver furiously, "oh God," she gasped her head falling back again. Adrian smirked, parting her dripping folds and thrusting his tongue inside of her, listening to her quickened gasps and heavy moans. He hummed against her, replacing his tongue with two fingers, pumping in and out of her at a steady pace.

Giada moaned loudly, tangling her fingers in his hair, urging him onward, "Oh yes! Oh fuck yes!"

He grinned as he felt her inner walls clamp down on his fingers, her hot juices coating the digits. He watched as her body heaved as she came down from her first high of the night, but he knew it wouldn't be the last. Quickly he crawled back over her, kissing her lips hard as he pushed into her, feeling her nails dig into his arms, causing him to growl.

She wrapped her legs wantonly around his waist, feeling him move. With each buck of his hips she cried out in pleasure, his hot breath on her face as they found a fast-paced rhythm. Adrian watched her expression contort with each thrust, hearing her moans and gasps only gave him more energy to continue, "Look at me," he gasped, wanting to look into her eyes.

With a bit of difficulty, she opened her eyes wide, staring up at him as he continued to thrust, listening to his loud grunts.

"Adrian, Adrian, Adrian," she continued to cry his name over and over as white lights flashed behind her eyes, his body shaking furiously against hers. Giada could feel the warmth spreading through her veins as he rested his body weight momentarily against hers, kissing the crook of her neck.

He smirked against the soft, slick skin, "Tired?"

Her eyes glanced downward, a flash of mischief in her Caribbean orbs. Without hesitation, Adrian felt her palm against his chest, pushing hard so that his back was flat against the mattress. His eyes examined her as she crawled on top of him, her hips straddling his, "What are you up to you little minx?"

Giada did not answer him, but instead rewarded him with a slow, passionate kiss, her mouth sucking on his lower lip before beginning a hot trail along his neck, biting gently at his collar bone. Adrian hissed, his hands gripping the tight curvature of her ass as she bent lower, kissing and sucking at his chest, tracing her nimble fingers along the sculpted muscles. Her bright eyes found his ever-darkening ones as she slid lower, removing his hands from her derriere as her mouth was at his navel, the strain of his returned erection between the swell of her breasts, "G..." he gasped, feeling the sensitive skin sliding between the perfect orbs that adorned her chest.

She grinned placing a kiss on the well-defined pubic bone of her lover before reaching the source of his prominent desire. Her slender fingers wrapped around his length, squeezing an ever-so-soft pressure when she slid her grasp downward, then upward, repeating the motion several times. Giada watched as his head fell back against the plush bedding, his chest heaving rapidly, the sound of his gasps filling the air.

Adrian groaned as she squeezed hard at the base of his cock, her slick tongue flicking out to swipe across his head, "Fuck," he growled, trying to arch his head to watch her, but it was a futile attempt. He felt her warm mouth begin to envelope his throbbing manhood, bobbing her head up and down, swirling her torturous tongue against the flesh as she did so. "Good God Giada," he groaned, his eyes rolling back into his head as she sucked harder, his fingers winding into her golden tresses, guiding her faster.

She moaned against his dick, her hands sliding along his smooth, built thighs, feeling his tight grip on her hair. Giada wanted to laugh at the thought of being able to turn the world's smartest man into your average male, enjoying the carnal pleasures of life. Suddenly she felt him begin to throb harder inside of her mouth, signaling her to stop, which annoyed him greatly.

His eyes opened wide as he stared at his lover, watching her lips retract from his manhood quickly, "Wh-What are you do-doing? Why'd you stop?" he panted, watching as she crawled back on top of him, bringing her hips down on his, swiftly pushing him into her wet sheath, almost made him lose control, "Shit!" he groaned, his fingers digging into her thighs with a vice-like grip.

Giada moaned loudly, her head falling back as she bucked her hips against his, feeling the knot in her stomach grow once more, fast and burning as he thrust upward, meeting her hips with the slap of skin. Her hands found his knees, giving her the leverage she needed to raise and lower her hips, riding him harder. The young woman felt her inner walls spread wide, accompanying his girth swiftly; with each passing minute it felt as if his cock was growing inside of her. Indeed it was, for soon he was moaning in unison with her, feeling their climax nearing, "Oh God! Fuck! Adrian! Adrian! ADRIAN!" she cried, her body convugling harshly.

Adrian thrust upward one last time, feeling his seed empty into her, his cries entwining with hers like two threads of melody. He heaved for breath as she collapsed on his chest, his strong arms pulling her close, "That...that was..."

"Amazing," she finished pushing a strand of hair out of his face, "I'm happy to know that it wasn't my dress that night that caused your actions."

He chuckled, pulling her with him beneath the comfort of his quilt and bed sheets, "No my dear, everything about you caused what happened that night, and tonight," he kissed her forehead, "and every night after this."

Giada smiled teasingly, "I'm going to be a busy girl."

The two of them laughed softly, Giada softly stroking his shins with her foot, "I love you, Adrian."

He nodded, "I know my goddess, and I love you, now rest, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow," he brought his mouth to her kiss-swollen lips, placing a gentle peck upon them before feeling her head find its place against his shoulder, her slow breathing alerting him that she was indeed fast asleep. For the first time in his life, Adrian was content and happy all at once, and that thought eased him into slumber faster than any night he'd ever had.

**AN: SORRY this took so long, I got preoccupied with work and everything else going on but I finally got this chapter out! Reviews are much appreciated! :D**


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